Is your vehicle spying on you?

[Mooseman]

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I remember a few years ago that OnStar was collecting data even when there was no active account on a vehicle and GM had to do an about face to stop it.

GM's Boneheaded Privacy Mistake With OnStar

OnStar's announcement that it would collect data from non-subscribers systems sets off a huge backlash against the company, including angry letters from three Senators.

www.forbes.com

There's also been rumours that vehicle manufacturers have been sharing driving details with insurance companies. Does it include personal info? Can this info be used against us?

Yeah, my OnStar modules are unplugged! It might not be so easy with newer vehicles.

 

[TollKeeper]

Thats exactly why I dont want to own anything newer than a 2007. From my understandings about On-Star, at least from 2007 its unplug-able without screwing up the CAN-LAN

 

[Mooseman]

Maybe unplug the antenna and wrap it in tin foil?

 

[DocBrown]

Doesn't matter if you disconnect anything. Every time you use a credit card or use a store loyalty card someone is collecting data about you. Even before the Internet and the massive connectivity we have today, retailers knew more about us than anyone ever realized. Your movements, your purchases and purchasing habits, extremely well educated guesses about where you live, what your income is, what kind of vehicles you drive, what your next major purchase might be. Our privacy went out the window long long ago. It's all data mining.

This is an example of how it's done. No Internet needed.

 

[northcreek]

lol...if they hack into my vehicle they might be surprised at how many coffee stops I make, where I took my dog for a walk and who I buy my beer from..... or they could just ask my wife, she's been hacking into this stuff for 40 years....

 

[Mooseman]

I know. Short of using cash only and living like a hermit, you kinda expect it. However, what I don't want is very surreptitious and quasi illegal spying on you and sharing of info. I don't want my vehicle telling my insurance company how I drive. I don't want FB dishing my info out for their profit. However, when I use points cards and debit/credit cards, I know they will track me with them. And we all have the best tracker of them all, our smart phones.

The one that scare me the most is FB. I have an account but only for viewing stuff in certain groups and Marketplace. I didn't use my name and used a throwaway email address. I don't use their apps neither, just the web site. I don't know how but it finds actual "People I may know". It finds acquaintances, relatives, coworkers and friends (didn't find my wife though )

 

[Mektek]

I unplugged my onstar box soon after I got it. I never intended to subscribe anyway. And the box has varying on times (depending on the model year) that just wastes power.

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

They are always listening. My buddy and I were discussing Torque converters in his garage, his nephew came out and grabbed his phone he had left out there. He overhears our conversation, stops and shows us an ad on his phone for torque converters. Freaked him out. He had not searched anything or even been on his phone and it knew... We are being watched/listened/whatever with anything electronic.

 

[mrrsm]

Okay to Drop this info here?

Amazon's Ring fired four employees for peeping into customer video feeds

The Amazon-owned smart doorbell company has been criticized for its security measures.

www.cnbc.com

 

[Mooseman]

One of the reasons I wouldn't trust one of these companies to handle live video. I'd rather get my own WiFi cameras and setup my own server.

Can you imagine if you have several throughout the house and you don't keep in mind where they are located? You might be inadvertently giving peep shows and these images can wind up anywhere.

 

[DocBrown]

I get the desire to have cameras in the house to watch small children and infants, but I can't think of any other good reason to have them inside. If one is worried about getting video of an intruder they probably already have outside cameras. Even if it was my own closed system, having cameras in the house would just creep me out.

Speaking of what I mentioned above a couple of days ago I got an email from Kwik Trip, a Wisconsin gas station and convenience store chain. I have their loyalty card. The gave me a map of all their stores that I was at in 2019, told me I pumped 702 gallons of gas, that I was there 95 times, and my most common time period I stopped in (4:00 pm - 6:59 pm). Kind of fun, but kind of creepy too.

 

[Mooseman]

That's what they really use those for. Your data is worth more than whatever trinket they give away with those cards.

 

[gmcman]

Don't discount your cell phones as well. I'm not interested or have spoken about selling my home anytime in the last year. About 2 weeks ago I was talking to a buddy of mine and I told him if I was to sell my house I would want something equivalent in regards to size of yard so the kids can play.

A couple days later I had two calls from people asking if they could buy my home and if I was interested in selling.

 

[Mooseman]

That is downright scary. What's next? Privacy is something that will be gone soon unless you get totally off the grid.

Just curious, what kind of phone? I might try that and see what happens.

 

[gmcman]

That is downright scary. What's next? Privacy is something that will be gone soon unless you get totally off the grid.

Just curious, what kind of phone? I might try that and see what happens.

Mine is an Android....S8, he has an iphone...older version...7 or 8.

The kicker is......we weren't on the phone, we were talking in his driveway face-to-face.

The next day a lady called me, sounded like an office environment...not a telemarketer...and mentioned she was interested in purchasing homes in our area and was asking if I was curious on selling.

The next day a guy left a voicemail asking nearly the same thing....I still have the voicemail.

Pretty freaking nuts.

 

[gmcman]

Meant to add....

His message went like this...

"Hi this is (name) I'm looking to buy another house in your area and wanted to see if you had given any thought on selling. I really hate to call you like this and I'm willing to make a cash offer over the phone".....etc, etc, etc.

There's another time at our other friends home the wife and her friend were talking about a funny commercial they saw on "Crepe erase cream"

Low and behold I showed her en email I received a few days later on the same product. Rest assured I don't search for that stuff or even heard of it.

 

[C-ya]

We were at my in-law's yesterday and the subject of a dinner idea came up. My wife and her mother were talking chicken recipes. The Alexa screen (small desktop model with a ~5" screen) started flashing chicken recipes. My f-i-l asked her if she was listening and she replied that she only listens when you say her name. LOL! I mentioned space travel just to see if she put anything up about that, but I got distracted and forgot to keep an eye on her.

My OnStar was disconnected about two days after I got my TB home. Unplugged the power and antenna cables and never looked back. I recently switched to State Farm for insurance and they asked if I wanted to save up to 30% by using their OBD-II tracker device. I told them I wasn't interested in being tracked. The agent just nodded.

 

[Mooseman]

Thread Revival. Ford has just patented a system to basically deputize their vehicles and make them rat out other drivers speeding.

It's getting crazy. Also watched this one.

Since my 2021 Sierra has this capability, I already pulled the fuse for the OnStar module. Only downsides so far is I have the GPS symbol with a bar across it on my screen, the microphone doesn't work anymore as Google Assistance doesn't hear my commands and the compass is always showing N. Google is possibly still collecting data from my truck as I still connect to it using Android Auto via Bluetooth since I use it a lot for GPS mapping and music.

Oh, and I also told my insurance to shove their tracker where the sun don't shine.

 

[Mooseman]

Here's another one.

If you have a newer vehicle, you can have Privacy 4 Cars act as your agent and send opt-out requests to manufacturers.

Vehicle Privacy Report

Get privacy car facts for FREE by searching your VIN.

vehicleprivacyreport.com

 

[Sqrly]

My take on this is a little different.

I'm not upset they know the frequency of my bowel movements, size, texture, color and what I wipe my butt with, how much I use, what brand I like.

I'm upset they literally make billions of dollars from my data and I don't get my cut.

 

[azswiss]

Next time, try swiping to the left.

 

[Mooseman]

GM banned for 5 years from sharing driver data

I already pulled the fuse on OnStar. The only downsides are the compass doesn't work and I can't use the onboard mic for commands through Android Auto. Who knows if AA does this too or worse but I like the convenience and mapping this way.

 

[Mooseman]

Well, if you're with Allstate and use their app, or Sirius XM, there's a lawsuit in the US:

Allstate, Arity Legal Troubles Mount; Class Action Filings Allege Privacy Violations - Carrier Management

Allstate and its data subsidiary. Arity, are facing new legal challenges detailed in class action filings, which allege they violated federal and state privacy laws to collect driving data. Several law firms have announced the class actions, filed in the United States District Court for the...

www.carriermanagement.com

 

[Sqrly]

Now Jeep owners are getting popup ads on the displays in their vehicles.

What's worse, if you search for "popup ads in jeeps" the top results are "how to advertise in jeeps" /facepalm